QUINCY — The father of a four-year-boy who was ejected from a pickup truck on Route 3 in Weymouth pleaded not guilty to charges that he was driving under the influence of drugs.

Florian Roshi, 34, appeared in Quincy District Court Monday and appeared to clench his jaw as the prosecutor spoke about the incident in the court. Judge Mark S. Coven set his bail at $5,000 cash.

State Police reported that their preliminary investigation showed that Roshi’s son had not been properly restrained and was thrown from the vehicle after it struck the guardrail about 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

Advertisement

The prosecutor said the 4-year-old boy suffered significant road rash on his face and was scheduled to undergo an MRI at Children’s Hospital. Roshi’s 8-year-old son, who was also in the truck at the time of the accident, was not injured.

Get Fast Forward in your inbox:

Forget yesterday's news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email.

According to the police report filed in court, state troopers responded to a report of a small child lying in the northbound breakdown lane of Route 3, just north of Exit 16 in Weymouth. Minutes later Roshi appeared at the scene and holding the hand of his other son.

According to the report, police found Roshi’s white Ford F-250 parked in the breakdown lane a quarter of a mile north of where his youngest son was found on the roadway. There was damage along the side of the truck and the passenger side window was smashed, the report states.

Assistant district attorney Kate Nedelman Herbst said when police asked Roshi what happened, he initially said that one of his children had asked to use his phone, which he was using at the time. Roshi said he then heard the window roll down, “looked back, veered the truck and the child was gone,” she said. Upon further questioning, Roshi told police he swerved and heard the glass break. “When officers asked what took so long to stop, he did not have an answer,” she said.

The police report states that troopers conducted field sobriety tests and concluded that Roshi appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Police reported finding a corner of a glassine bag containing a powdery residue inside the truck, as well as a black plastic bag containing a Chore Boy scouring pad, a pack of cigarettes containing a burnt marijuana cigarette, and two bottles of pills that were labeled as Clonidine and Gabapentin, the report states. The car seat in the back had not been properly installed, and was not secured to the seat of the vehicle, the report states.

Advertisement

Roshi’s lawyer, Jessica Foley, said that Roshi’s son did not suffer a concussion nor any broken bones. She also noted that Roshi had been clean and off heroin for eight years.

Roshi pleaded not guilty to several charges, including operating under the influence of drugs, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and a marked lanes violation.